Typically, manufacturers of computer systems, computer devices, computer components or software (computer products) offer customers technical support once the computer products have been purchased or leased by the consumer. This support may consist of technical information on the use of the computer products or may be directed to the identification and solution of problems encountered when using the computer products. Typically, when a customer encounters a problem with a computer product, he or she calls the manufacturer's support center, who in turn generates an incident number, and then requests that the consumer manually gather data from the malfunctioning computer product. This data is then formatted into an electronic mail, or e-mail, message or described verbally and sent or communicated to the service center of the manufacturer. After allowing time for the service center to receive this information, the customer calls the service center where technical personnel access the data contained in the e-mail or verbal message and, working with the customer, attempt to identify the malfunction (or the misuse) of the computer product. Once the problem is identified, the service center personnel instructs the customer on the steps required to correct the problem. If, however, the service center personnel cannot identify and/or solve the malfunction, a service technician is dispatched to the site or the consumer is asked to bring the computer product in for repair.
The process in identifying and solving malfunctions in computer products is manually intensive, time consuming, and inefficient. Additionally, each service center personnel must be trained in the identification and solutions for malfunctions which may appear in the supported computer products. This process is again inefficient as support personnel turnover requires retraining and additional education. Additional inefficiencies occur when trained service personnel spend time and expend resources in solving known problems or when particularly complicated or difficult problems are resolved by different personnel at a later time for a different customer.